27 September 2008

something i loved today: c called me at the shop i'm keeping and told me to look out the window. i walked over and there he was, with ollie, driving by to say hello while on errands. it's the little things.

23 September 2008

i am grateful to be surroundedbyfriends who so easily transition from discussions on which screens are best for printing, or a sudden and very surprising interest in the color plumb to discussions about our country's future, and the disbelief that our politics seem to be, on one end of the spectrum, straight out of reality television.

22 September 2008

it's the first day of fall, woohoo! time to celebrate that i made it through summer (not my favorite season), that today marks my first day of an adventure with a personal trainer (ouch), that it's time to enjoy delicious local concord grapes and sharp cheddar (i've indulged in this celebration several times, hence the trainer), that soon i'll be crunching leaves under foot, that ollie and i will finish walks with a flashlight (fun!), and that the 2008 second storie} indie market is almost here! we'll be holding our event thanksgiving weekend, in a beautiful building covered in vines whose leaves will by then be a gorgeous shade of crimson, i'm sure!

this year, we're really hoping to stretch our arms around a greater circumference of the northeast, and beyond. there are so many things i could say about how much i love second storie, some of it has been said before. most of all, i would want anyone who was considering making the trek out to be with us to know that we treat our artist friends as family. we know what it's like to put your heart and soul into a table of wares, and we couldn't be more appreciative of all the artists who do make the trip to join us. i hope to see some of you there this year! i've been daydreaming of the day some of you drive up to the audtorium and i say "hi, i'm sooo glad you're here!"

you can find more details about the event here and the applicationhere.

what are you celebrating on this first day of fall?
hugs all around,
shanna

17 September 2008

as the weather cools i've been enjoying my kitchen, and dreaming of all the recipes i'll try this autumn and winter. i turned the oven on for the first time in months this week. roasted carrots and cauliflower. delicious!

the kitchen is a great place to be when i want to connect with my grandmother. i can't help but think of the lessons in fractions and baking she gave me every time i need a 1/4 teaspoon of something or other. i love that.

this old cheese grater was my grandmothers, it still sits in her kitchen drawer in washington, where my grandfather can look at it anytime he wishes. i wonder if he thinks of her as i do, when he's in the kitchen? i bet he does.

i still want to show you favorite bits from my kitchen! perhaps on the weekend...

06 September 2008

yesterday was a long travel day. i was feeling thoughtful, and quiet, and a little outside of myself. traveling does that to me sometimes. transitioning from spending time with my beloved grandfather to being home with my little family is never easy. how do you cope with being so far away from loved ones, friends? i'd love to know.

although i am missing my grandfather terribly, and the cooler temps in the northwest, it feels great being home. i'll be spending my first day home with ollie. we're off to the farmer's market and then to corbett's glenn to splash in the creek. ollie doesn't know it yet, but i think we'll stop and get him a new red ball too! i'll be back in this space on monday.

in the meantime, if you'd like, you can read a little interview i did for stephanie over at studio with a view. thanks for having me, stephanie! your questions offered a great opportunity to reflect and recharge! just in time to get back to work!

01 September 2008

he builds trains, ships, miniature machines, and buildings. from scratch. somehow, with big hands slightly shaking, he remains precise. he recreates historic buildings from his town. taking a tape measure to the sight, and his camera, he makes a blueprint of sorts. he researches a building's history, becomes a local authority oftentimes.

what comes after always amazes me. in weeks, sometimes months, sometimes years, there sits a building perfectly to scale. more amazing still is that the soul of the building is there too. i see him in every little detail. my grandfather.